Okay guys here goes…I did a search and could not find the answer so I’m adding this post.
I have my V1.28 Power Cab and my first 2 DCC and sound equipped loco’s will be here in the next day or two. My mainline is all set up in a continouos loop and everything checks out with no problems with my DC engines. I do not have a “programming track”. Do I really need one? I only have the 2 loco’s for now, although more will probably come later. Can I just set one on the track, program the CV’s and loco #, etc?
When I want to do the other loco can I just take the first one off the track so I don’t screw up the programming? Or will all the that information disappear from the decoder. I though DCC simplified all this by “programming on the main”.
Is a programming track simply an isolated section that has it’s own feeder from the Power Cab?
I am an NCE user but I have the procabs and full blown system. The programming track on my railroad is an isolated piece of track wired from the command station to do the programming. It is not connected physically to the railroad. The reason is if you enter a wrong command you could delete programming on other engines on the railroad. I can still program on the main, but only do so to set up a new consist.
Again, I do not have experience with the powercab. You might go to the NCEuser group on Yahoo, which is where I get my information.
How does your system know which is the isolated section of track? It’s all connected to the command station right? So when I get into the programming mode how does the Power Cab know whick section of track is which?
And this section of track is only used to program decoders right? Never used for any running of loco’s? Can’t I just use 2-3 sections of track set up on my coffee table to do this? I know the coffee table concept is a stretch, but you get the idea.
I guess I’m really confused on the electrical portion here.
Yes, you do need a programming track but you could just use your entire loop as your programming track, if you wanted. When programming in Program mode, the amount of current going to your programming track is less than when using Programming on the Main. This reduces the liklihood of frying a decoder that has been installed incorrectly. The other advantage is that you can “read” the CVs settings, which you can’t when you are programming on the main.
As I said above, you could program that way, if you wanted. I would still use Program Track mode for initially programming your addresses vs. Programming on the Main, for the reasons previously mentioned.
Once you program your decoder, the info is locked in the chip until you change a function or CV setting, or reset it to factory settings. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you take your locomotives on and off the track. You don’t lose anything. Other than intially programming, you can use Programming on the Main (POM) to change CV settings on the fly.
I have the same system you do. The answer to all your questions is no, yes, yes. You don’t need a programming track. The only reason to have one is that you don’t screw up and program some other loco on the mainline you forgot to remove. It also gives you a little more information as well. I bought an NCE auto switch for $24.95 that allows me to use a programm track. It isolates a section of track I have under the layout to program locomotives. I like it. Walthers catalog or Tonys train exchange sell them. Also be aware that some sound locomotives require too much power and cannot be programmed on the programming track but must be programmed on the mainline.
So basically the NCE Auto SW has two ouputs. One for the main track and one for the program track. You add that right out of your power cab panel. The instructions are easy.
Tom, you don’t need a programming track. That will confuse him. He thinks he needs 2 tracks. He only needs ONE track which serves as programming on the MAIN.
On the ProCab base unit there are 2 outputs, one is to the main layout track, the other goes to an isolated programming track. Some include the programming track as part of the layout but isolated by insulated plastic rail joiners and fed from a DPDT switch. I just use a 3 foot board with a piece of flex track mounted to it and connected to the programming output via some alligator clips.
Programming mode is selected on the Cab, if you keep pressing the prog button it will cycle through the different options including “program on main” and “program track”.
It doesn’t. If you want a separate programming track, you’ll need to run the track power through a switch in order to divert power between the programming track and the main.
Yes, the programming track is used specifically for programming decoders and for reading CVs. You can test run a locomotive in programming mode but you’re limited what you can do.
Yes, you can set up your programming track either at your bench, or as an isolated section on your layout. I have my programming track on a 27" long piece of scrap 1 x 3. (Fits three 9" pieces of sectional track perfectly.)
I think I’ve got it now. Let’s call them loco # 1 and # 2 for simplicity. If I use the mainline as the program track, as long as I remove loco # 2 to program # 1 I’m all set right? And if I remove # 1 to program # 2 I’m still okay. I’d rather not go thru adding switches and the like. I know this may not be the “technically correct” way of doing this, but I’m running under the KISS method. And as long as I remember to remove one or the other, I should be okay.